The Business Analysis Profession

What is Business Analysis?

The formal definition as articulated in A Guide to theBusiness Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK® Guide) is “… the set of tasks and techniques used to work as a liaison among stakeholders to understand the structure, policies, and operations of an organization and recommend solutions that enable the organization to achieve its goals.”

More simply put, business analysis is a disciplined approach for introducing and managing change to the business.

Who is the Business Analyst?

“A business analyst works as a liaison among stakeholders to elicit, analyze, communicate and validate requirements for changes to business processes, policies and information systems. The business analyst understands business problems and opportunities in the context of the requirements, and recommends solutions that enable the organization to achieve its goals.” (BABOK®Guide)

Title vs. Role

Business analysts work in a wide range of industries and support a variety of functional areas although their job titles can vary widely. Whether you are a systems analyst, requirements manager, product manager, or consultant, your title reflects your position as defined by your particular company. A role reflects the discipline you practice and your professional association – business analysis.

Business analysis differs from project management in that the BA recommends solutions that enable the organization to achieve its goals while the PM is responsible for the work necessary to implement a particular solution through a project.

IIBA® can offer you knowledge, tools and support to help you work smarter and more efficiently and improve your overall job performance.